#47,#11 Jarryd Blair

[David]

Quality player; hopefully he'll stick around. Blair baggers really ought to give themselves a collective uppercut.

[Piesnchess]

Quality player; hopefully he'll stick around. Blair baggers really ought to give themselves a collective uppercut.

That's hard for them too do, as both their hands are holding two glass half empties.

[Jezza]

A player with many limitations, but one that gives his all to the team, something which is undervalued by some here.

I don't see Blair figuring in our long-term plans, but short-term I'd be content to see him play again for us in 2017. There's every chance that if Elliott, Fasolo, Mayne and Hoskin-Elliott are fit, then Blair's days will be numbered sooner rather than later.

[CarringbushCigar]

good - no player id rather 45 out on a 45 degree angle

not his fault he has to do it all

[Member 7167]

I hope takes up the contact offer and plays well for us in 2017. The same people who criticise him are the same people on this forum who state that the club is a failure due to the number of 2010 premiership players who have left the club.

He always gives everything he has. He may be small, he may not be the most talented player but he gives what he's got. He has a lot bigger set of cohunas than some of the individuals on this forum who display little backbone and want everyone sacked all of the time. I'll take Blair over this set of clowns every day of the week. You can be confident he will stand up. (although it may not be obvious due to his lack of height)

Yep, another whinge about other posters that you don't agree with.
And yes you can be confident that he will kick around 12 to 16 goals in a full season.
That is what he has consistently done in the last 5 years.
How great.
And remember when the fast opposition player breaks down the ground remember to look 30 metres behind and there will be Blair.
And then just quietly think ...who are the clowns here?

It might only be 12 - 16 goals but they are goal he will contribute to our potentials wins. At the end of the day he is a player that played 21 of 22 games last year. You may under value him but it is obvious that the highly skilled people who make up the selection committee at the Pies hold a very different informed opinion to yourself.

The comment I made about the retention of 2010 premiership players is valid. The comment (described by you as whinge which is just another one of you subtle putdowns ) is not about those who hold a different opinion to myself but the people who continually claim that the club, its servants and its players can do little right and a whole lot wrong.

[thompsoc]

Quality player; hopefully he'll stick around. Blair baggers really ought to give themselves a collective uppercut.

That's hard for them too do, as both their hands are holding two glass half empties.

Two Blair's don't make a full glass.
Jack and Jarrod wouldn't even be priced at 2 for 1 at Coles.
Where the prices are down down down.

[Pies4shaw]

I hope takes up the contact offer and plays well for us in 2017. The same people who criticise him are the same people on this forum who state that the club is a failure due to the number of 2010 premiership players who have left the club.

He always gives everything he has. He may be small, he may not be the most talented player but he gives what he's got. He has a lot bigger set of cohunas than some of the individuals on this forum who display little backbone and want everyone sacked all of the time. I'll take Blair over this set of clowns every day of the week. You can be confident he will stand up. (although it may not be obvious due to his lack of height)

Yep, another whinge about other posters that you don't agree with.
And yes you can be confident that he will kick around 12 to 16 goals in a full season.
That is what he has consistently done in the last 5 years.
How great.
And remember when the fast opposition player breaks down the ground remember to look 30 metres behind and there will be Blair.
And then just quietly think ...who are the clowns here?

It might only be 12 - 16 goals but they are goal he will contribute to our potentials wins. At the end of the day he is a player that played 21 of 22 games last year. You may under value him but it is obvious that the highly skilled people who make up the selection committee at the Pies hold a very different informed opinion to yourself.

The comment I made about the retention of 2010 premiership players is valid. The comment (described by you as whinge which is just another one of you subtle putdowns ) is not about those who hold a different opinion to myself but the people who continually claim that the club, its servants and its players can do little right and a whole lot wrong.

I don't agree with thompsoc about a whole lot of things but I don't know that relying upon the judgement of the "highly skilled people on the selection committee" advances the discussion. Those of us who aren't unreconstructed Leibnizian optimists think it's ok to doubt the football department when the team keeps finishing 12th. It is possible that thompsoc is just confused and that all - in a footballing sense - is indeed well in the best of all footballing worlds but you can't really blame him for asking the questions.

Personally, I have huge admiration for Blair - I have never seen a harder trier in a Collingwood jumper - but also wish that he was actually a hopeless non-chaser capable of turning a game with a couple of moments of brilliance, like Alan Didak. Ultimately, there is no place for Blair as a small forward in a competitive finals team. So much has been obvious for at least 3 years - I have no concern at all with Blair getting games while he remains the best available choice for the spot but I am appalled that he (probably) remains the best available for the spot. That isn't his fault, of course, but there is a serious underlying question for the "highly skilled" people to answer.

[kymbo5@yahoo.com.au]

Quality player; hopefully he'll stick around. Blair baggers really ought to give themselves a collective uppercut.

That's hard for them too do, as both their hands are holding two glass half empties.

I'm not on facebook but that's a LIKE!

[think better]

Quality player; hopefully he'll stick around. Blair baggers really ought to give themselves a collective uppercut.

That's hard for them too do, as both their hands are holding two glass half empties.

Oh that explains it, I thought they had their hands otherwise engaged

[Cam]

Plays his guts out week in and week out. But, the question is are there more skilled, as committed, alternatives out there that would replace and exceed his output, thus improving our team. Personal attacks are unnecessary, the guy is a warrior.

Conan the Barbarian however destroyed many Blairy types because he was bigger, stronger, just as hard and was a more legendary swordsman.

[roar]

The same people who criticise him are the same people on this forum who state that the club is a failure due to the number of 2010 premiership players who have left the club.

Not true.

He'll stick around because no other club will offer him what we have. Same thing happened last time.

[AN_Inkling]

Yep, another whinge about other posters that you don't agree with.
And yes you can be confident that he will kick around 12 to 16 goals in a full season.
That is what he has consistently done in the last 5 years.
How great.
And remember when the fast opposition player breaks down the ground remember to look 30 metres behind and there will be Blair.
And then just quietly think ...who are the clowns here?

It might only be 12 - 16 goals but they are goal he will contribute to our potentials wins. At the end of the day he is a player that played 21 of 22 games last year. You may under value him but it is obvious that the highly skilled people who make up the selection committee at the Pies hold a very different informed opinion to yourself.

The comment I made about the retention of 2010 premiership players is valid. The comment (described by you as whinge which is just another one of you subtle putdowns ) is not about those who hold a different opinion to myself but the people who continually claim that the club, its servants and its players can do little right and a whole lot wrong.

I don't agree with thompsoc about a whole lot of things but I don't know that relying upon the judgement of the "highly skilled people on the selection committee" advances the discussion. Those of us who aren't unreconstructed Leibnizian optimists think it's ok to doubt the football department when the team keeps finishing 12th. It is possible that thompsoc is just confused and that all - in a footballing sense - is indeed well in the best of all footballing worlds but you can't really blame him for asking the questions.

Personally, I have huge admiration for Blair - I have never seen a harder trier in a Collingwood jumper - but also wish that he was actually a hopeless non-chaser capable of turning a game with a couple of moments of brilliance, like Alan Didak. Ultimately, there is no place for Blair as a small forward in a competitive finals team. So much has been obvious for at least 3 years - I have no concern at all with Blair getting games while he remains the best available choice for the spot but I am appalled that he (probably) remains the best available for the spot. That isn't his fault, of course, but there is a serious underlying question for the "highly skilled" people to answer.

No problem with doubting the selection panel (though Blair has been selected consistently for a long time and there's also his Copeland record to consider). Categorically stating, over and over, that he's a complete dud and would not play for any other team is not supported by the facts. Nor is this idea that he needs to be replaced for us to be competitive. We can all have opinions, but ideally they should have some basis in reality. Blair's selection and Copeland record are two things that should at least give his bashers some pause for thought.

Some opinions that have little basis in reality:
1) Blair is, at best, right on the edge of our 22 and was possibly about to be cut
2) Blair is an atrocious footballer who is not up to AFL standard
3) We can not play Blair if we want to be a competitive team (I'll add "modern" team now that I've noticed that descriptor creep in )
4) the continued selection of Blair is part of the reason we've finished 12th the last two years

[Piesnchess]

Plays his guts out week in and week out. But, the question is are there more skilled, as committed, alternatives out there that would replace and exceed his output, thus improving our team. Personal attacks are unnecessary, the guy is a warrior.

Conan the Barbarian however destroyed many Blairy types because he was bigger, stronger, just as hard and was a more legendary swordsman.

I seem to recall, that many years ago now, we had this little rotund guy with limited skills, poor kick -by his own admission - not a great mark, not fast, but he had a heart as big as Phar Laps and he tried his guts out, game after game, never gave in, never stopped, gave his all.

Its Tony Shaw of course, and without him we would not have won the 1990 flag. Just saying.

[RudeBoy]

Plays his guts out week in and week out. But, the question is are there more skilled, as committed, alternatives out there that would replace and exceed his output, thus improving our team. Personal attacks are unnecessary, the guy is a warrior.

Conan the Barbarian however destroyed many Blairy types because he was bigger, stronger, just as hard and was a more legendary swordsman.

I seem to recall, that many years ago now, we had this little rotund guy with limited skills, poor kick -by his own admission - not a great mark, not fast, but he had a heart as big as Phar Laps and he tried his guts out, game after game, never gave in, never stopped, gave his all.

Its Tony Shaw of course, and without him we would not have won the 1990 flag. Just saying.

I knew Tony Shaw, and Jaryd Blair is no Tony Shaw. (Tony was a prolific ball getter, something Blair is not. Still, he always gives his all and is a consistent contributor, which is more than can be said for a few of his teammates).

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

NOT Tony Shaw... by a million miles